Governor of South Carolina

Republican nominee Alan Wilson and Democratic nominee Jermaine Johnson have agreed to face off in a live, one-hour debate on Oct. 6 in South Carolina's governor's race. The debate, moderated by WIS anchor Judi Gatson with questions from Gray Media political reporters and anchors across the state, will air from the WIS studios in Columbia and stream across Gray-owned stations and digital platforms in Greenville-Spartanburg-Anderson, Columbia, Charleston, Myrtle Beach, Augusta-Aiken, Charlotte and Savannah.

The race marks South Carolina's first open gubernatorial contest in nearly a decade. Gov. Henry McMaster, who took office after Nikki Haley left to become U.N. Ambassador and won full terms in 2018 and 2022, is term-limited. The November election will determine his successor, making this debate a key early test for both candidates ahead of a race prediction markets are watching closely.

Gray Media, South Carolina's largest television ownership group, is requiring candidates in this fall's gubernatorial and U.S. Senate debates to sign contracts barring them from joining rival broadcasters' debates without Gray's written consent. The clause, confirmed by multiple campaign sources, could limit other outlets' ability to host their own televised debates before the Nov. 3 general election.

Gubernatorial nominees Alan Wilson (R) and Jermaine Johnson (D) have tentatively set an Oct. 6 debate with Gray station WIS-TV, Gray's sixth debate broadcast since April. A Senate debate between Darline Graham and Annie Andrews remains under negotiation. Andrews' campaign said it signed Gray's pledge but has also accepted invitations from other stations, including SCETV and Nexstar- and Hearst-owned outlets, raising questions about how the exclusivity clause applies to debate clips and other coverage.

The dispute follows Gray's earlier partnership with the state GOP on primary debates and comes amid broader competition between Gray, Nexstar, and other networks for control of political debate coverage nationally.

South Carolina's Republican Senate primary runoff has narrowed to a contest between interim Senator Darline Graham and Congressman Ralph Norman, both seeking to serve the remainder of the term left vacant by the death of longtime Senator Lindsey Graham. Governor Henry McMaster appointed Darline Graham, the late senator's sister, to hold the seat on an interim basis before the runoff.

Endorsements from President Donald Trump and Senator Tim Scott have given Graham a notable boost heading into the vote, while Norman continues to draw on his House base. Turnout patterns across the Upstate and coastal regions of the state are expected to be decisive in determining the outcome. The race is being watched as a signal of Republican voter priorities in South Carolina and could shape the GOP's approach to filling the seat through the next election cycle.

Sen. Darline Graham defeated Rep. Ralph Norman 52% to 48% in South Carolina's Republican runoff for the Senate seat held by her brother Lindsey Graham for 23 years before his death in July. Gov. Henry McMaster had appointed her to fill the seat temporarily, and President Trump endorsed her bid for a full term, holding a tele-rally and headlining a Myrtle Beach rally while directing more than $800,000 from his super PAC, MAGA Inc., toward her campaign. Norman, a five-term congressman who largely self-funded his campaign and drew roughly $700,000 in outside spending tied to Nikki Haley, conceded but noted lingering bitterness among his supporters over Trump's involvement. Graham had weathered criticism after admitting during an August debate she was "not that informed on national security," shifting her campaign's focus to domestic issues and her brother's legacy. She now advances to face Democrat Annie Andrews, a pediatrician, in the November 3 general election for the seat, considered a safe Republican hold.

The result, alongside a narrow Trump-backed win in Oklahoma's gubernatorial runoff, reinforces the president's continued sway in GOP primaries despite recent Trump-endorsed losses elsewhere, including Wyoming and Florida.

Darline Graham Nordone's narrow runoff win over Rep. Ralph Norman to permanently fill her late brother Lindsey Graham's Senate seat is prompting South Carolina strategists to argue the state's 2028 Republican presidential primary could be wide open. Graham Nordone won 52.5% to 47.5% despite trailing Norman on personal spending, benefiting instead from heavy outside spending, including more than $827,000 from Trump's MAGA Inc. super PAC and $1 million from a pro-green-energy PAC opposing Norman. Trump endorsed Graham Nordone, while Nikki Haley backed Norman, echoing 2024 primary alignments.

Strategists disagree on what the close margin signals: some say it shows South Carolina isn't fully "MAGA-tized" and remains competitive for non-Trump-aligned candidates, while others attribute the result mainly to spending disparities rather than ideology. Vice President JD Vance currently leads 2028 GOP primary polling well ahead of Marco Rubio and Donald Trump Jr., but observers caution his advantage isn't guaranteed to hold once multiple candidates compete directly in the state. Graham Nordone now faces Democrat Annie Andrews, a pediatrician, in November, with the race notable as South Carolina's first-ever matchup guaranteeing a woman senator.

Oklahoma voters head to the polls in runoff elections deciding the Republican nomination for governor and the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate, alongside two statewide ballot measures. State Attorney General Gentner Drummond and former state Sen. Mike Mazzei, who narrowly split the June 16 primary vote, face off for the GOP gubernatorial nod; the winner will meet Democratic state House Minority Leader Cyndi Munson in November, with Democrats not having won the governorship in 20 years. Mazzei has self-funded heavily and drew President Trump's endorsement, while Drummond has outraised him in contributions—another test of Trump's mixed 2026 primary endorsement record.

On the Democratic side, nurse N'Kiyla Jasmine Thomas and attorney Jim Priest are competing for the Senate nomination after neither cleared 50% in June; Priest holds a large fundraising edge. The winner faces Republican Rep. Kevin Hern, who won his primary outright. Voters also decide State Question 846, adding a voter ID requirement to the constitution, and State Question 844, concerning property tax reimbursements tied to manufacturing incentives.